A bullet appears to have caused the death of the 39-year-old migrant during the incident off Symi where a speedboat carrying migrants from the Turkish coast.

According to a press release from the Coast Guard, early this morning, a Coast Guard patrol boat conducting a routine patrol detected a suspicious speedboat in the sea northwest of Symi. The vessel ignored the Coast Guard’s instructions and attempted to flee.

A chase ensued, with the Coast Guard using both audio and visual signals to order the speedboat to stop. The speedboat, however, did not comply and performed extremely dangerous maneuvers, ultimately colliding with the Coast Guard vessel on the port side, near the captain’s position.

The Coast Guard reported, “To prevent immediate danger to the patrol boat and its crew, warning shots were fired, which had no effect. Subsequently, targeted shots were aimed at the outboard engine to immobilize the speedboat. After the speedboat was immobilized, the Coast Guard inspected the vessel and found that a 39-year-old man had been fatally injured, possibly by a bullet.”

The press release further detailed:

“In the early hours of today, a Coast Guard patrol boat on a scheduled patrol detected a suspicious speedboat (T/X) in the sea area northwest of Symi. Upon noticing the Coast Guard patrol boat (PPS), the T/C polyester vessel increased speed in an attempt to evade capture. The Coast Guard pursued the vessel with sound and visual signals, which the T/C ignored. The speedboat repeatedly performed extremely dangerous maneuvers and collided with the Coast Guard vessel on the port side, endangering the crew’s safety.

To prevent immediate danger to the patrol boat and its crew, warning shots were initially fired without effect. Targeted shots were then aimed at the outboard engine to immobilize the speedboat. After the vessel was immobilized, the Coast Guard conducted an inspection and discovered that a 39-year-old man had been fatally wounded, likely by a bullet.

The injured man was transported by another Coast Guard patrol boat to the port of Rhodes and then evacuated to the General Hospital of Rhodes for a post-mortem examination by the Forensic Service.

A total of fourteen (14) individuals (5 minors, 8 males, 1 female) were aboard the speedboat. Additionally, two (2) individuals identified as traffickers were arrested by the Symi Port Authority for violating Articles 82 and 83 of Law 3386/2005, Article 25, Paragraph 1(b) of Law 5038/2023, and Article 306 of the Penal Code. The speedboat was seized.”